Ampol Food expects 4.2bn baht in revenue via new ventures in pet, elderly industries

APF, which makes the popular Chaokoh coconut milk products and Roi Thai ready-to-cook curry pastes and sauces, recently announced its business visions for 2024.

This vision, marking the company’s 37th year in business, includes plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and net zero emissions by 2050.

Kriangsak Theppadungporn, the company’s managing director, said APF will be investing some 200 million baht this year to open 10 more distribution centres nationwide, adding to its 80 centres, and it would also improve its “Good Life for You” digital platform with an AI-based voice bot.

The company believes this will bump its revenue by 15% year on year to 4.2 billion baht in 2024. The APF said 60% of its revenue would come from its own products and the remainder from its operations as a distributor of smaller companies’ food products.

The company expects to see sales of APF products and distribution operations to rise to a 50:50 ratio within two years.

Kriangsak explained that the APF began distributing goods five years ago and now has more than 20 brands under its belt, including Double Pagoda peanuts, Siam Jade canned fish, and Nor Mai fish sauce.

Pets and the elderly

In its new expansion plans, Kriangsak said the company realised that many people treat their pets like family members.

Hence, it is working with Chiang Mai’s Maejo University to develop premium quality pet food and aims to launch the new line within the fourth quarter of this year.

Kriangsak said APF would also focus on the sale of supplemental food for the elderly who have trouble chewing and swallowing under the brand Nutri-Care. This new product would support Thailand’s ageing society, he said.

The company also plans to expand the sale of its popular coconut ice cream and ready bubble milk tea by making them available in some 300,000 grocery stores nationwide this year. Apart from this, a greater focus will be placed on its new sauces under the Munkorn Somboon (Healthy Dragon) brand, which recreates ancient Chinese recipes.

Rebranding efforts

Krissada Sopha, APF’s marketing and IT director, said the company has hired a design company, IHAP Studio, to rebrand its logo and trademarks. The new green, red and blue logo signifies the company’s mission to always invent new food products that are healthy and delicious, Krissada said.

He added that APF was also entering the digital stage by setting up a joint venture with Kanda Digital Co Ltd to launch an AI voice bot called Magnita.

The Magnita AI, launched from the company’s call centre and digital platform, will sell the company’s products automatically at any time of the day or night.

As part of its CSR efforts, the company is also cooperating with RS Media to organise charity concerts to raise funds for Siriraj Hospital.

The APF will continue its FoodWorks project, which in cooperation with the Thai Chamber of Commerce University, provides free training to SMEs about food industry management, so they can produce top quality food, he added.

Kornkanit Saengdee, APF’s director of innovation for sustainability, said the firm will adhere to its mission of being responsible to society and the environment.

She said the APF has been creating a corporation culture by making its staff realise the need to protect the environment and has started using EV trucks to transport its goods.

Kornkanit reckons the APF will be able to reduce carbon emissions by 30% within 2030 and its zero-waste operations should be in full operation by then too.

She promised that APF will also achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2040 and its net-zero emissions goal by 2050.